About PLIDA

Providing perinatal bereavement care is imperative. It is not an option.

PLIDA serves as leaders in perinatal and neonatal bereavement care. We do this through education, advocacy and networking for health care providers and parent advocates. We promote the highest quality of consistent evidence based care for all families.

The Pregnancy Loss and Infant Death Alliance (PLIDA) has a unique purpose: to provide a formal network and a unified international presence to increase awareness and education focused on the emotional experiences and needs of bereaved families. PLIDA's goal is to be the central place for care giving professionals, parent advocates, members of the media and policy makers to share information on the professional care of families experiencing a perinatal loss. PLIDA also organizes the biennial International Perinatal Bereavement Conference (www.perinatalbereavementconference.org).

Prior to PLIDA’s official establishment in 2002, many advocacy groups and individuals were working in isolation to provide professional care for parents who had experienced a perinatal loss. Each had similar missions and often held their own conferences for members. There was recognition among the group leaders that by working together we could become a unified voice and champion for the provision of professional perinatal bereavement services. Initial organizations included Resolve Through Sharing, Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support, Pen Parents, the Infant Loss Center and the National Association of Perinatal Organizations, along with many others. Many of these organizations continue to be strongly involved in the leadership of PLIDA today.

Who are PLIDA members?Our membership consists of like-minded people across many fields who all share the mission that bereaved families deserve professional perinatal bereavement care. Professionals include physicians and nurses in the area of obstetrics, pediatrics, neonatal intensive care and palliative care, social workers, child life specialists, obstetric radiologists and imaging technicians, chaplains, lactation consultants, counselors, psychologists, researchers, university-level educators, parent advocates, and many others. Join now!

What draws people in?While some professionals have teams and supportive colleagues in their work place, others work in isolation, perhaps as the only champion of perinatal bereavement services in their surrounding area. Whether supported in your community or working alone, being a part of the PLIDA community allows you to come together with a group that “speaks the same language.” We are all champions of our work, fostering the organization of our efforts, the standardization of care for bereaved families, the sharing of resources and support, as well as offering opportunities for continuing professional education. We strive to create institutional change by speaking in a unified voice. For more information on becoming a member of PLIDA, click here!

What are the benefits of PLIDA membership?What do you get for your membership dues? Your $65 yearly membership fee will provide you with the following benefits

Networking at its finest

Access to Members-Only online discussion board

Access to Perinatal Hospice/Bereavement-Focused Position Statements

Multiple educational opportunities

Voting privileges for future PLIDA Board

Ability to be nominated and run to be a PLIDA board member

Discounted conference registration

Members-Only E-blasts of pertinent PLIDA news as well as information regarding the Conference and Conference location

Two complimentary PLIDA lapel pins with each new registration

Ability to volunteer for one of our committees (education, fundraising, media and marketing, governance, etc.)

These are only a few of the many benefits you can anticipate with your PLIDA membership. The amazing networking and educational opportunities are what our members share are the most significant benefits of their membership. With the leading professionals in the bereavement community being members, the amount of knowledge that can be gained through access to the online discussion boards and e-blasts is something that can rarely be obtained in another organization. Whether you are a professional in a large metropolitan city, a caregiver in a small rural town, or somewhere in between, the comfort of knowing that you always have a professional forum where you can go to to ask questions and receive answers is not only worth the membership dues, it is priceless.

How can I get more involved?First and foremost, the number one way to get more involved is to become a member. Once you have joined PLIDA, you can be just as involved as you'd like! PLIDA has several committees you can join that are chaired by current board members. Not only is this a fantastic way to get involved, but it is also a wonderful opportunity to get to know the members that are running PLIDA.

PLIDA Committees

Education

Governance

Fundraising

Media, Marketing, and Membership

Conference Planning

Sponsorship

If you are an active member and are interested in volunteering on a PLIDA committee, please click here to download an application. Once completed, e-mail to summer.hepler@plida.org.

Thank you so much for your interest!

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